Corn Salsa

Corn salsa that is HEAVENLY!  Don't let the cinnamon fool you.  It is so good, your lips will be smacking you in the face just to get to another bite.  Wow!  Such a flavor explosion!   And it is HEALTHY too!  The delicious salsa recipe is courtesy of Meredith Wittman by way of a Penzey's catalog from August 2011.  I have slightly modified it, to make it even better of course!  I love it with tortilla chips or served with a variety of Mexican inspired dishes.  Enjoy!


Corn Salsa

3 large ears of corn
1 large onion, chopped
2 Jalapenos (seeds removed unless you like it HOT), finely chopped
1 garden tomato, chopped
1⁄3-1⁄2 Cup lime juice
3⁄4 tsp. GROUND CUMIN
1⁄4 tsp. CINNAMON
1⁄2 tsp. GROUND BLACK PEPPER
1/2 tsp. Kosher or Sea SALT
1 small cucumber, chopped and seeds removed
1 15 oz. can black beans, drained, rinsed,  and thoroughly dried with paper towels

Shuck the corn and remove the corn from the cobs. In a large bowl, combine the corn, onion, peppers, tomato, lime juice and SPICES. Mix well. Add the cucumber and/or black beans and mix again.  For best results (and to ensure a flavor explosion) cover prepared salsa and let sit in the fridge for several hours or overnight.  Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Prep. time: 15 minutes
Yield: about 7 cups

Nutritional Information: Servings 7; Serving Size 1 cup (188g);
Calories 80; Calories from fat 10; Total fat 1g; Cholesterol 0mg;
Sodium 105mg; Carbohydrate 19g; Dietary Fiber 4g; Protein 4g.

Link to Meredith Wittmann's original recipe in the Penzeys catalog (page 42)

Shrimp Sauce or Yum Yum Sauce...

Whatever you call it, it is delicious! I found a recipe on Pinterest that claimed to be the real deal for the shrimp sauce that you find served at Hibachi type restaurants.  I made it and it just didn't have the right taste.  I made it several times and tweaked it until it was PERFECT!  

I used an electric griddle to make shrimp, chicken, onions, zucchini, mushrooms and rice.  

So simple and way more affordable than dining out!   

Shrimp Sauce/Yum Yum Sauce

1-1/4 cup Hellmann's mayonnaise *

1/4 cup warm water

2 teaspoon tomato paste

2 tablespoon melted butter

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon sugar

1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika

1 tsp sriracha (Korean garlic chili sauce)

1 tsp honey

1 tsp seasoned rice wine vinegar

Pinch of salt

Pinch of pepper

Melt butter in a glass bowl, add warm water, sugar, honey and mix to dissolve sugar. Add the rest of the ingredients – adding the mayonnaise last. Using a fork or a whisk, blend all ingredients together thoroughly until well mixed and the sauce is smooth. Refrigerate overnight to allow flavors to blend. Bring to room temperature before serving.

The sauce will NOT taste right if you don't let it sit overnight.

* As everyone knows, I generally prefer Dukes mayo. However, in this recipe, Hellmann’s comes the closest to replicating the taste of the sauce. Hellmann's is called "Best Foods" west of the Rockie Mountains. Use other mayos at your peril - many other brands make the sauce taste too much like mayo.

Walnut Date Bran Muffins

I fell in love with bran muffins during a trip to Canada when I was 15 years old.  I have tinkered with many recipes over the years to make the most perfectly moist and tasty bran muffin ever.  This is my most recent creation that combines ground flax, chewy dates and crunchy walnuts.  And I think it is the best yet!  Let me know what you think.




1/2 cup flour
3/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup chopped majool dates (optional)
1/2 cup chopped raw walnuts (optional)
1 cup bran
1/2 cup ground flax
1 cup milk
1/2 cup buttermilk
3/4 cup molasses
1 egg, extra large
1/3 cup virgin coconut oil, melted
1 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

1. Combine your dry ingredients: mix flour, whole wheat pastry flour, baking powder, baking soda       and salt.
2.  Add dates and walnuts to flour and stir.
3.  In a separate bowl, mix the bran, ground fax, milk and buttermilk together.  Let sit for five minutes to moisten the bran and flax.
4.  Stir molasses, egg, coconut oil and vanilla into the bowl with the bran/milk mixture.
5.  Pour wet mixture into the dry and stir until combined.  Be careful not to over-mix.

Spray your muffin tin with cooking spray.  Fill each muffin tin with batter.  Bake for 12 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.  Serve with butter and a little sprinkle of kosher salt.  ENJOY!

 
  

Pistachio Lemon Poppy Seed Bundt Cake

Yes, the name is crazy long.  But it is so good and every word of it is necessary to describe the yummy-ness of this easy to make cake.  Everyone will think you spent hours making it!

1 box yellow cake mix

3 –3.4 ounce boxes Pistachio Pudding

1 cup water

½ cup oil

4 eggs

2 tsp. Vanilla extract

2 tsp. Poppy Seeds

1 Container Lemon Frosting

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 

Grease a bunt pan and set aside. 

Combine cake mix, pudding, water, oil, eggs and vanilla in a bowl.  Mix until well combined, about three minutes with an electric mixer.  Stir in poppy seeds with a spoon until evenly distributed.  Pour cake batter into bundt pan and bake for 45-55 minutes.  Remove from oven and IMMEDIATELY turn over onto a plate or cake holder/stand.  Let cool for 30 minutes.  Open container of lemon frosting and remove foil.  Put in the microwave in 10 second increments, stir and do again until it reaches a pourable consistency (took 3 times in my microwave) and pour evenly over the top of the cake.  Leave uncovered to finish cooling for another 30 minutes.  Serve or cover cake to keep it moist.

   

Ultimate Potato Soup

What is more versatile than potatoes?  They are inexpensive and filling.  Here is a recipe that turns the plain old potato into something extraordinary.  It is an easy recipe with tons of flavor that would satisfy even your most choosy foodie. 

 

1 pound bacon, chopped

3 stalks celery, diced

1 large onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

10 russet potatoes, peeled and cubed

4 cups chicken stock or enough to cover potatoes

3 tablespoons butter

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

2 cup milk

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (and extra for garnish)

½ cup heavy cream

½ cup Buttermilk or sour cream

2 wedges Laughing Cow Garlic and Herb cheese

1 teaspoon dried chives

1tsp Tarragon

1 tsp. dried parsley flakes

1 tablespoon chopped fresh green onions (garnish)

1 tsp. Slap Yo Momma seasoning

1 tsp. sea salt

1 tsp. pepper

1 tsp seasoning salt

1 tsp onion powder

2 bay leaves

In a Dutch oven, cook the bacon over medium heat until done. Remove bacon from pan, and set aside. Drain off all but 1/4 cup of the bacon grease.

In the bacon grease remaining in the pan, saute the celery, onions, salt and other seasonings until onion begins to turn clear. Add the garlic and bay leaves, and continue cooking for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the cubed potatoes, and toss to coat.  Season with salt, pepper and Slap Yo Momma seasoning. Saute for 3 to 4 minutes. Add enough chicken stock to just cover the potatoes. Cover, and simmer until potatoes are tender.

In a separate pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour. Cook stirring constantly, for 1 to 2 minutes. Whisk in the milk, chives, tarragon and parsley.  Bring the cream mixture to a boil, and cook, stirring constantly, until thickened. Stir the cream mixture into the potato mixture. Puree about 1/3 the soup, and return to the pan.  Add the rest of the seasonings, Laughing cow cheese, shredded cheddar cheese, buttermilk or sour cream and heavy cream.   Adjust seasonings to taste.  Let simmer at med-low heat for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally so it doesn’t stick on the bottom.   Garnish with bacon, shredded cheddar cheese, chopped green onions and sour cream.  

Cinnamon Rolls

My sister-in-law introduced me to her family tradition of making cinnamon rolls on General Conference weekends.  Who wouldn't want a yummy tradition like that???  She shared her recipe with me and I have tweaked it many times.  You will too.  Do what works best with the ingredients you have on hand.  And enjoy making a new tradition with your family!  

Dough:

1 cup warm water

1 teaspoon sugar

4½ teaspoons Active Dry Yeast

Mix in a larger mixing bowl and set aside to proof.

In a separate bowl mix:

2/3 cup butter, melted

1 cup milk

2/3 Cup sugar

2 teaspoons salt

2 eggs, at room temp

7 cups all-purpose flour (and 1 ½ cups extra for rolling out dough and in case it is too sticky)

7 tablespoons Vital Wheat Gluten

Mix butter, milk, sugar, salt and eggs well and then add to yeast mixture in main mixing bowl.  In a separate bowl mix the 7 cups flour, salt and 7 tablespoons vital wheat gluten together.  Add 3 cups of the flour mixture to the wet mixture in your large mixing bowl (preferable a stand mixer).  Mix with the dough hook if you have one.  Mix until combined.  Add the additional 4 cups flour mixture.  Add more flour as needed, in ½ cup increments. (Sometimes it is closer to 8 cups of flour.)   Sprinkle your counter with flour and knead for at least 10 minutes with your hands.  The dough will be a little sticky.  Butter a large bowl and place dough in it.  Cover with a damp towel.  Place in a warm area of your home and allow to double in size for at least one hour.  Roll out into large rectangle, about a 1/4 inch thick.

Filling:

2 cups brown sugar

4 tablespoons cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon salt

12 tablespoons butter (softened)

Mix the brown sugar and cinnamon together.  Mix well.  Spread the butter onto the dough, with your hands or a spatula and spread it out over the dough.  Sprinkle the sugar mixture on top and then PRESS it into the butter mixture with a rolling pin and/or your hands.

Roll up tightly into a log.  Mark off at 1 and 1/2  inches and cut with unflavored floss or very sharp knife.  These will fill two 9 X 13 pans or one half sheet pan.  Spray with cooking spray and line with parchment paper or a silpat.  Cover with a damp cloth and let rise again for at least one hour.

Bake at 335 for 25 minutes.  (You may want to experiment in smaller pans to see how long it will take in your oven.)  Remember, all ovens vary.  The original recipe said 335 for 25 minutes (that is NOT convection, but conventional) I bake at 340 F for 25 minutes.  Be sure not to overcook!  They should be a very light brown.  Let cool for 15-20 minutes and then frost (smother!) with icing.   

Fluffy Icing:

8oz cream cheese-softened

1/2 Cup butter

1/2 margarine (I have found that Blue Bonnet works well)

3 ½ cups powdered sugar

2 teaspoon Vanilla extract

Mix cream cheese with mixer for at least 5 minutes on low with the paddle attachment.  Add butter and margarine and mix on medium-high speed for at least 5 minutes.  Add vanilla.  Add 2 cups powdered sugar and mix on low for another 3 minutes.  Add 1 1/2 powdered sugar and mix on medium for another 5 minutes.  Mix on high for another few minutes.


*Recipe adapted from my Sister-in-law, Jeanne Smith.